TV Coverage

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120514426#Comment_120514426

People seem to kind of forget that co-commentators and the main commentator need to work as a team and compliment each other.

Best example I can supply I as far as Ireland is concerned are Michael Corcoran and Donal Lenihan, they jell well together and Lenihan doesn’t ‘intrude’ on the commentary like certain others do.

A good commentator makes a poor game better but handing over to co commentators who are as dull as ditchwater kinda kills any rhythm that might have built up, in other words making a bad game even worse.

theoneeyedman

Is there anything that illustrates how poorly ran RTE is when they bring Lee Keegan from Westport to Limerick to analyze a game being played in Castlebar, that he's watching on TV like the rest of us 😂. Fuckin hilarious

grbear

The lack of Saturday Game this week was a bit irritating. Are RTE limited to doing a set number of Saturday night shows and are saving them for a more hectic weekend or was it a case of the Sunday show being light content wise so they skipped Saturday?

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120566671#Comment_120566671

I think the schedule would be under an agreed contract with the GAA.

keeponhurling

Cusack: GAA shrinking hurling - not growing it (rte.ie)

Interesting discussion, I think Donal Og is spot on though. What are the GAA even thinking of regarding hurling ?

grbear

Instead of another year where we get five minutes of a pundit from a strong county complaining about the GAA not growing hurling maybe someone from a lesser county should be given that platform to articulate what they feel they need in terms of support from the GAA?

One of the better things Parkinson did with the GAA Hour was interviewing people from lower down the totem pole. That Stapleton lad does the same. He has a video up with Terence McNaughton about Antrim needing a home in Munster. The title makes it seem like a mad idea but when you listen to what he is saying there's a clear logic to his plan. It might never happen but I think it'd be better if his thoughts got given a bigger platform.

Brendan Bendar

Who in Gods name in RTE appointed Fitzmaurice as a co commentator on football games?

I’m sure he’s a nice guy, but he puts the ‘o’ into booooring!

Drones along like a bouncy castle power unit.

Grats

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120568399#Comment_120568399

I rarely agree with what Cusack has to say but he, and Tyrrell, were spot on last night with regards to GAAGO. And also their views on head high tackles not being properly punished. They showed a number of such tackles for which a yellow card was issued or no card at all when clearly they were red card incidents. Cusack, like many people, can't understand how the CCCC reviewed one such recent incident and decided it warranted no red card. In so doing they are neglecting to protect the players from potential serious head injuries. In the same way the refs are being neglectful by not issuing red cards for shoulders, elbows or hurls to the head. Yet another such incident arose in the Cork v Tipp match on Saturday for which the ref deemed it a yellow card.

It needs to be addressed urgently.

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120568657#Comment_120568657

The only way it can be addressed is to give the referees the same view that you get on TV. And let them look at the camera footage over and over, freeze frame it, get different angles. In real life they get only a split second, and from whatever distance and angle they are viewing. You would fare no better than the refs, with your human eyes.

If a decision goes to some other humans for appraisal, they will all have their own opinions. The pundits on TV are also human, and subject to making mistakes.

Charles Babbage

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120568531#Comment_120568531

He hasn't the most dynamic voice, but he does actually give insight into tactics etc that the viewer might not pick up on otherwise.

Jizique

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120566671#Comment_120566671

There wasn't one last week either, wanted to see a bit of LK v Clare; the radio had the womens "rugby" on even

Grats

I agree that refs can't pick up on everything but the recent incident that the CCCC reviewed and took no action is a disgrace. It shows they're not willing to protect the players.

dxhound2005

I am not familiar with the incident. One solution would be for the expert pundits to offer themselves to serve on the committee. Then their decisions would make everyone happy. Except possibly the referees who have their decisions undermined. Could lead to an even bigger exodus from the referee panels.

Gusser09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120570031#Comment_120570031

Hurling is impossible to ref and umpire though. There is just too much happening. The ball traveling 100 meters in 2 seconds for example.

Video assistant is now needed more than ever. Especially in hurling.

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120570031#Comment_120570031

The auld lads are ahead of you there. Your analysis is beyond useless.

https://www.gaa.ie/my-gaa/match-officials/umpires

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120569645#Comment_120569645

Understatement of the season right there.

Could some exec in the relevant dept not give him a shoe in the hole to liven him up?

Charles Babbage

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120572626#Comment_120572626

I'd rather someone boring telling me something useful than a golden voice talking bollix.

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120572634#Comment_120572634

Surely in the whole annals of the GAA they could find someone with a normal enthusiastic voice who could tell us something useful?

Its not exactly rocket science is it?

Mantis Toboggan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120573745#Comment_120573745

7 Tailteann cup games?

How many Joe McDonagh and Christy Ring games are they showing?

munchkin_utd

I did a quick manual run down of whats on telly in the next fortnight, and roughly whats not

###### Week to Sun 14th May #####

-- GAA GO --

Kildare v Sligo - U 20 Football Final

Saturday 13th May 13:30 (Irish time)

Cavan v Laois - Tailtean Cup League Stage

Saturday 13th May 16:00 (Irish time)

Waterford v Clare - Munster Hurling League Stage

Saturday 13th May 18:00 (Irish time)

-- RTE ---

Saturday Game Highlights

Saturday 13th May 21:30 (Irish time)

Dublin v Louth - Leinster Football Final

Sunday 14th May 13:45 (Irish time)

Armagh v Derry - Ulster Football Final 

Sunday 14th May 16:00 (Irish time)

-- TG 4 --

Tuesday, 9th May, 22:00

Deferred coverage of Cork v Clare in the Munster Final in the Electric Ireland Minor Hurling Championship.

Wednesday, 10th May, 19:30

Deferred coverage of Kilkenny v Wexford in the oneill's.com Leinster U20 Hurling Championship Semi Final.

NOTE: live on the app/ website 

Friday, 12th May, 19:20 - LIVE

Live coverage of the Leinster Final in the Electric Ireland Minor Hurling Championship.

-- NOT TELEVISED LIVE at all, at all, at all --

7x Tailtean Cup games (14 counties involved) 

13x Joe Mc Donagh/Christy Ring/Lory Meagher games (26 counties involved) 

total, 20 senior intercounty championship games, 40 counties involved - not televised. 

###### Week to Sun 21st May #####

-- GAA GO --

Kerry v Mayo - Sam Maguire League Stage

Saturday 20th May 15:00 (Irish time)

Galway v Tyrone - Sam Maguire League Stage

Saturday 20th May 17:15 (Irish time)

Kilkenny v Dublin - Leinster Hurling League Stage

Saturday 20th May 18:00 (Irish time)

Leitrim v Fermanagh - Tailtean Cup League Stage

Saturday 20th May 18:00 (Irish time)

-- RTE ---

Saturday Game Highlights 

Saturday 20th May 21:30 (Irish time)

Clare v Cork - Munster Hurling League Stage

Sunday 21st May 14:00 (Irish time)

Tipp v Limerick - Munster Hurling League Stage

Sunday 21st May 16:00 (Irish time) 

-- TG 4 --

Monday, 15th May, 19:20 - LIVE

Live coverage of the oneill's.com Munster U20 Hurling Championship Semi Final.

Wednesday, 17th May, 19:20 - LIVE

Live coverage of the oneill's.com Leinster U20 Hurling Championship Final

Friday, 19th May, 19:20 - LIVE

Live coverage of the All Ireland Semi Final in the Electric Ireland Minor Hurling Championship.

Saturday, 20th May, 16:15 - LIVE

Live coverage of the All Ireland Semi Final in the Electric Ireland Minor Hurling Championship

-- NOT TELEVISED LIVE at all, at all, at all --

2x - Sam Maguire League Stage

2x - Leinster Hurling League Stage

7x Tailtean Cup League Stage

9x Joe Mc Donagh/Christy Ring/Lory Meagher games 

total, 20 senior intercounty championship games, 40 counties involved - not televised. 

dmakc

Thanks, I see it becomes a bit more balanced once these pointless football provincials are over, problem is the meaningful hurling season is already halfway through

Rosita

Remarkable to think that after the 1st June there are only 9 Senior inter-county hurling matches left in the year.

dxhound2005

@munchkin_utd I did a quick manual run down of whats on telly in the next fortnight, and roughly whats not

###### Week to Sun 14th May #####

-- GAA GO --

Kildare v Sligo - U 20 Football Final

Saturday 13th May 13:30 (Irish time)

Cavan v Laois - Tailtean Cup League Stage

Saturday 13th May 16:00 (Irish time)

The list that I saw has the Kildare Sligo U20 on TG4.

munchkin_utd

The list that I saw has the Kildare Sligo U20 on TG4.

I could swear that was down as GAAgo although maybe I just got confused with the other game at breffni right after it.

C4000

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120582169#Comment_120582169

Some of the Joe McDonagh games are on Clubber tv, albeit with single camera coverage etc.

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120583567#Comment_120583567

So fcking dumb that GAA contract those matches away and give the rights to Clubber where you need to pay a fee for each match when they literally have their own platform

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120582222#Comment_120582222

In the old days the whole thing could be run off in 12 games.

Rosita

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120584259#Comment_120584259

Old days like 2020 and 2021.

icdg

Am given to understand BBC Two Northern Ireland is available on Virgin Media again, perhaps a bit late at this stage with the Ulster final looming.

edit: may apply to those with the latest TV360 box rather than legacy Horizon 3 and Mediabox STBs.

Brendan Bendar

Jaysus….. Fitzmaurice as co-com. looking and sounding like a tailors dummy.

Over to radio for this poster….

technocrat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120595759#Comment_120595759

He must be reading this thread and trolling you lol

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120595778#Comment_120595778

Unbelievable rubbish tech, where did they get this spook from?

Once he started name checking Marty that was enough for me.

Bang! Get away from here.

Brendan Bendar

Mod Edit

Warning issued.

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120598303#Comment_120598303

I would prefer if Lee Keegan just said "nothing to say" when asked a question. And even if he agrees with a superior pundit, he should say he disagrees.

CaboRoig

GAAGo is grand. Paid a reduced fee for it early in the year. And I suppose not all of the games are going to have the same production levels.

But how on earth did someone think Emyln Mulligan was a good co-commentator? He just says the most inane stuff over and over and over. Literally repeats what you just saw on the screen. "Yeah, he turned in his left there and kicked a nice score to bring it back to a one point game again" "He'll be disappointed with that one, 30 metres out, you really should be hitting the target" etc.

I mean most pundits and co-commentators don't exactly blow your mind with their insight but poor Emlyn makes Dessie Dolan sound interesting!

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120598941#Comment_120598941

He gave a straight answer to the question about drink. It matched what the research had shown. And he gave more detail, by saying the elongated seasons of the past lent themselves to heavy drinking. Whereas the current condensed season rules it out.

And if he has the same opinion about Tyrone as other pundits, he doesn't have to hide that.

Brendan Bendar

Hopefully they won’t have Fitzmaurice as co-com on any of the big games.

We really need to up the standard in this regard.

MattressRick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120600370#Comment_120600370

Fitzmaurice is very sharp on analysis. I think it's unfair when people here, not you, have criticized him for bring boring etc.

He really can read the game and comment on reasons why scores happened.

I feel ill learn something with him as co commentator. As opposed to the opposite, see above for Emlyn Mulligan.

ShamoBuc

Fitzmaurice is very good. His analysis is mostly spot on.

However, his tone/voice could be used as a lullaby as it really is boring and would put you to sleep.

He is certainly one of the more knowledgeable fellas around buy over the course of a full game, I just want to mute him. He would be better as a Sunday Game analyst.

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120600424#Comment_120600424

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120600449#Comment_120600449

Thanks lads for the input.

Now I’ll put my cards on the table and say I have nothing personally against Fitzmaurice, my criticism is totally based on the product on TV or radio.

I will also admit I have been a bit harsh and have been warned, and for that I apologise and will curb my approach from that area.

However , I fully agree with Shamo that he would be better suited to an ‘office job’ rather than the full game presence.

The Sunday game pundit would seem to be better suited to his delivery and input.

If I was the head of RTE Sport I would suggest the lad listen to a few a few Sky commentaries and learn from them.

No constant name checking the play by play commentator, come in in lulls in play, put some animation in your presentation, simple stuff like that.

Thats what I would like …..nothing personal, just a more enjoyable product I feel anyway.

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120600463#Comment_120600463

That problem being players going on drinking sessions when there was a longer break than present between games. Which is what he experienced himself. There was no need for a follow up. If he had rubbished the research, it could have prompted a bit of back and forth.

An example of how a bit of drinking could be indulged in, is a typical Kerry All Ireland winning season from the old days. Four games in total, 15 June, 13 July, 10 August, 28 September.

munchkin_utd

Anyhow, this Friday its

 Galway v Mayo in the Connacht Minor final on TG4 (deffered)

On Saturday

Carlow v Offaly in the Hurling Joe Mc Donagh Cup live on free tv

On GAAgo its Armagh v Westmeath and Derry v Monaghan

On Sunday

Dublin v Galway and Limerick v Cork in the Hurling on RTE

Dublin v Roscommon in Football and Tipp v Waterford in the hurling on GaaGo

Derry v Monaghan in the Ulster minor football final on TG4

I havent bothered with dates or times, the early and late games start more or less when they always start so no real need

TsuDhoNimh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120642373#Comment_120642373

TG4 giving a great example of how flexibility can play a big part in coverage dovetailing with programming constrants with the Connacht Minor final tonight.

Live coverage on the app and the TG4 player with deferred coverage 30 minutes later on TV.

Brendan Bendar

Hopefully Fitzmaurice has a weekend off for the Galway ball game .

Wouldn't be able to take that… me

Gusser09

The sunday game have the sacred cow first up tonight. Surely to god with the tension and drama in wexford park it was a no brainer. Mad stuff.

Brendan Bendar

Must admit the coverage on the Sunday game from the Provencial venues was very poor.

Long range camera shots, impossible to see the ball for a lot of the time, does nothing for hurling.

In contrast the Dublin Galway from Croker was much better.

That was my observation anyway.

Sunny Disposition

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120652691#Comment_120652691

Can never see the ball on TV at the uncovered stand side of Limerick. Don't know why that is, it always seems to be okay at Thurles.

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120653419#Comment_120653419

The issue is the angle the cameras are positioned at Sunny.

Once the background is the sky, as in most of the provincial stadia there’s problems.

In Croker the high stands provide a darker background and the ability to get the cameras to get at a higher angle.

The production values of hurling games in places like Limerick and Thurles are seriously affected by this.

Lets call a spade a spade here, it’s not the product, it’s the presentation .

MisterAnarchy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120652691#Comment_120652691

Agreed, the picture quality for the Limerick Cork game yesterday was shocking.

It didnt look HD at all, even the advertising hoardings were blurred and the contrast levels were way too high.

It was the same for the Clare vs Cork game last week in Ennis.

Very difficult to see the sliotar, I suspect RTE are sending lower quality cameras out to these grounds or not using a proper HD feed.

It really takes from the product when you are straining your eyes to see the ball, and I have good eyesight and a very good tv.

Jack Daw

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120654920#Comment_120654920

I've always found it difficult to follow the sliothar on TV, fine at the matches but it's difficult on TV.